Eyes of Stone
by xfucktheglasses
Summary: Lay your weary head to rest. —SasuSaku.
1. i

Written for sasusakupromts; theme being fairytale.

**i: breaking the spell**

Sasuke stands at the edge of the cliff above the Hokage Monument. The breeze ruffles his hair and he shifts to hide his hands in the pockets of his nin-pants. He likes to stand here, at the edge of this cliff, looking down at the village below him and count the specks that move every few seconds. Sometimes, he likes to pretend he actually gets some thinking done.

But there isn't really anything to think about, anymore.

So he finds himself, with every visit, standing there and observing; like a hawk in the sky, like a snake on its belly as it studies its prey.

Konoha is at peace and has been for almost six years. It's something that, even now, most shinobi have a hard time wrapping their minds around, something that the humble villagers accept with happiness. Sasuke doesn't know where he stands; he is back… _home_, he can say. Yes, he is back home and he's a twenty-three year old jounin.

And surprisingly, it is enough.

For once, it is enough.

He takes a deep exhale, closes his eyes and feels the light wind rock him in place.

Time is at a pause, as it always is when he is up there. Sasuke takes a moment to curl around the empty feeling that consumes him. This feeling—this emptiness is different from the one he has always felt. Before, it was like acid; it bubbled through his veins, blurring his sight and shutting down all of his senses. Before, it made him angry, made him lonely and filled him up with resent and god—god, that resent was never enough because he always felt so much emptier.

But—but now.

Now, Sasuke feels this emptiness of accomplishment—this empty weight that slows his body down—and he has for a very long while. And yet, he isn't quite used to it.

He takes another sigh and opens his eyes. Konoha buzzes into life, below him and he swears he could hear its heart beating steadily. Slowly, his lips tilts upwards, at the corner—a ghost of a smile, because it is all he could ever offer; he's too greedy to show how truly content and at peace he is. It is his, only—

"Hey."

Sasuke doesn't turn, but he quietly hums a hello. The grass below him shifts and he knows someone is standing next to him; a breeze flutters by and he can see strands of pink dance in the air, from his peripheral vision. Slowly, he turns towards her, facial expression blank, as is custom. "Yes?"

"Naruto's back from his mission," she says, nose wrinkling and eyes squinting. "He wants to eat ramen."

"Then let him," he shrugs, ignoring the rustle of his flak jacket.

She reaches over and lightly punches his shoulder, "You know what I mean, stupid."

Sasuke smirks, nods and turns away from the edge. They walk down the path, together, with their hands brushing every other five steps, and it is fine.


	2. ii

To Sonya and Paige.

**ii: the siren's song  
**

Sasuke returns from a week long mission with a dislocated shoulder and a sprained ankle.

He stands at the front entrance of his home for a few seconds, swaying as he tries to keep his weight off of his right leg; his eyes are closed, hair disheveled and caked with dried blood and dirt. The late afternoon's soft breeze is cool against his damp temples, and a shiver runs down his spine at the feeling. Sasuke sighs and slides the door open, limping his way inside and sliding it closed behind him.

The house is empty, shadows dance around him as the sun's slowly setting light sneaks in through the windows.

He toes off his boots, clenching his jaw taut as he slides the injured ankle out. Sasuke walks through the house, turning on lights as he goes. He pauses, for a second, by the kitchen's entrance; he stares at the spotless island and the empty counters—he is close to surmising the house is in fact alone, before he finds himself staggering down the halls.

His mind is blank as he presses a closed fist against the walls, using it as support to properly walk down the dimmed hallway. Everything is dark, the rooms are closed and there is no one home—and yet Sasuke finds himself making a turn to the right, where the master bedroom is.

And he finds her in the small room straight across the bedroom, crouched down in front of countless of manila folders, stacks of papers and a clipboard and pen. She is engulfed in one of his dark nin-shirt, sleeves threatening to swallow her hands as they slide down, the neck of the shirt drooping from one side. Her hair is tied back with wraps and he silently suspects that's where they all have gone, when there is a lack of them in his drawer when the time to bind his wrists and hide his summoning seals.

"Hello, Sasuke, welcome back!" She hasn't turned to look at him, but he can hear the smile in her voice. "I—oh, crap, oops. I didn't cook anything—I got lost again, you know how I am. Ugh! Okay, um, how do you feel for some good ol' ribs from Barbe-Q?"

It takes her a moment, after that, to turn her attention to him; she does so when he gives her no reply.

"Oh _shit_!" She drops the folders she was sorting and runs to his side, grabbing at his forearm and guiding him down. There is concern in her eyes, lips pressed into a thin line as she surveys him; Sasuke watches her—watches every worry line that appears as she inspects deeper. There isn't much, he knows, just his ankle and his shoulder and a few gashes. But Sakura isn't Sakura if she doesn't worry about the little things, is she?

"God, what do you get yourself into, I swear," she mutters, gently unzipping his flak jacket and pushing it off before lifting his shirt up and off with careful fingers. "I am talking to Kakashi-sensei about sending you out to killing yourself I mean—"

"Sakura."

She bloats her cheeks and sighs. Their eyes meet for a second as she prepares to pop his shoulder back into place; he grunts when it happens in a blink of an eye, his good hand shooting up to hold at her wrist.

"I'm sorry," she whispers, brushing her lips against his shoulder. She pulls away, ghosting her glowing-green hand around his body, closing the gashes and leaving only the scarred marks to remember them by. As she heals his ankle, Sasuke watches her and he transfixes himself at her concentration; the way her brow furrows and her nose wrinkles. It is almost… He tries to find a word… Adorable…

She looks up at him about twenty minutes later, cracking the kinks out of her neck and flicking the stray strands of hair out of her face. "Have you thought about what you want to eat?"

Sasuke doesn't answer, he settles for placing a chaste kiss against the corner of her lips.


	3. iii

If it isn't clear, I am going through a writer's block. It's why this story kind of fails. But thank you anyway for the love.

**iii: beauty and the beast  
**

Something happens when they both arrive home on the same day from their separate missions.

Naruto is at the gates, waiting to greet them and to request they join him in his ramen brunch. Sakura accepts, grinning from ear to ear, and so Sasuke follows, in tow, and only half listens to their witty banter. His hands are pocketed and his head is bowed as he entertains himself with counting the pebbles scattered on the ground.

"And what the hell, Sasuke-teme," Naruto says, sloppily slinking an arm around Sasuke's shoulders. "What took ya so long? Mission too hard for you?"

Sasuke spares his best friend a glance, eying the crooked grin and raised eyebrows with minor interest and annoyance. They slide into their individual barstools before Sasuke dignifies him with an answer, "I'm actually two days early."

Silence makes a pit stop around them, before Sakura's laugh overtakes the atmosphere. Sasuke is smirking as Naruto lowly grumbles to himself and orders a bowl of beef ramen. And so the three of them sit there, silently basking into the days when they had still been twelve and sat in those same stools. Sasuke is the first to clear his throat and quietly thank Ayame when she places his bowl of miso ramen in front of him.

"Sand sibs say hi," Sakura comments with a smile. "Their med-nins are getting so much better with every other visit I make. I'm so proud!"

"Yeah, well, with Tsunade-baa-chan there, what do you expect!" Naruto pauses and then coughs, awkwardly. "B-but you make the difference, Sakura-chan; you know how the old hag barely has any patience. So… So… Yeah!"

Sasuke smirks as Sakura's annoyance clouds her face. She swirls in her seat, looking out of the booth and at the main street of Konoha.

He turns back to his ramen, sparing Naruto a glance as the idiot moves his lips, as if he were talking to himself. Sasuke will never understand the idiot, but it is always a blast to watch him put his foot inside his opened mouth; especially when it has to do with Sakura, because then he is almost likely to get punched.

"Hey," they hear Sakura whisper.

They both turn towards her, watching her eyes narrow as she stares at—at something in particular. As such, they turn to look towards the direction that has grasped her attention. Nothing is there.

"Did you guys see that," she asks, browfurrowed.

"Uh," Naruto is the first to say. "Not really, Sakura-chan, no. What was it?"

Sakura shakes her head and swivels back to face her bowl. "Some hooded figure or something. With an ANBU mask. I'm just—whatever, maybe I'm just tired."

With that, they eat their meal in silence and it isn't long before Sasuke and Sakura say goodbye to Naruto, who quickly heads to the Hokage office for his training, and begin their trek home. They walk with the same silence that always follow them like an old friend, their hands brushing every other step; the only sign of their comfort around each other.

It isn't until they are a turn away from entering the newly built Uchiha Compound that Sakura pauses and quickly turns her head to the right, posture going rigid.

"What," Sasuke asks, turning to look, as well, and hand sliding over the hilt of his chokutō. "What is it?"

Sakura slowly uncoils her limbs and looks away, turning her green eyes towards him and swallowing thickly. "I thought I saw that hooded figure, again. But—but, maybe it's just me, y'know? I _was_ in Suna for five days, this is how they travel around to keep an eye on the village. So… Yeah…" She gives a choked laugh. "Just ignore me."

He eyes her for a second, brow furrowed, before placing a hand on the small of her back and leading her home.


	4. iv

If you're patient, your questions, after this chapter, will be answered. With that, enjoy! (:

**iv: the wolf at the door  
**

He isn't sure if it all happens too fast or too slow or too sudden or too out of the blue.

He is taking a nap, not exhausted with his morning training with Naruto but instinctively thinking the rest would do him good, and he is positive Sakura is still out hanging the laundry. His eyes are closed and he is on his stomach, arms around his pillow and head turned to face the wall. He is dosing off rather than sleeping, but drowsy nonetheless.

He realizes something is wrong only two minutes after the hairs on the nape of his neck stand on end and goose-flesh prickle his body.

Sasuke is out of bed the instance this settles into his mind, a kunai in one of his hands. He is walking out of the bedroom a minute later, snatching for his chokutō as he goes. He is walking slowly, eyes bleeding into his Sharingan and senses on overdrive. He's sprinting when he sees Sakura standing up above a debris of what used to be their home's back wall; the extensive yard and forest is in view and they are being attacked—attacked in their own home?

What enemies could have made it through the gates?

What enemies found where they live?

He throws his kunai at the shadow that makes an attempt to jump on Sakura as she continues to grab her balance and her bearings. A moment later and he unsheathes his chokutō and everything is a blur as he is spinning in the air, dodging and blocking and throwing blows as they came. He throws his sword at one of the hooded figures and is quickly to do the hand signs for his Katon, engulfing everything in flames as the massive fireball rolls towards his enemies.

Behind him, he can hear Sakura fighting her own battle, can feel as the earth quakes as she punches and kicks with the inhuman strength she is known for.

He slams his Chidori into one of the enemies, sinking his hand and arm deeper and pressing his lips together as he tries to control his overpowering anger. These are the masked figures Sakura kept seeing for days—since they returned to Konoha approximately four days ago. These—Sakura hadn't been seeing things and because he didn't look into it, as he should have, they are being attacked and their home violated.

This seems to anger Sasuke more as he begins to show no mercy; but as he lands hits, so do the masked figures and it isn't long before Sasuke's shirtless torso is littered with scratches, gashes and bruises and he swears his shoulder—the same one he dislocated on that mission about a month ago—is beginning to ache with a pain strong enough to cloud his mind and concentration.

It isn't long before Sasuke is on his knees, chest heaving and the side of his ribs bleeding profusely. Fire surrounds him, perhaps trying to comfort and causing chaos instead; he's injured—wounded and perhaps it's something critical.

But Sasuke turns, ignoring as his enemies continue to attack and hurt him. He grunts and groans and even pauses—he coughs blood and the wound on his side continues to bleed, but he crawls.

He crawls and drags himself until he is inside what is left of his home and near Sakura's fallen body.

Blood covers her as the cuts and gashes litter her body. The corners of her lips are stained with blood and her eyes are closed, hair disheveled and less than half is still tied behind her with his gauze and the rest hides her pale face. There is a tantō sticking out of her chest and Sasuke doesn't know what to think.

He isn't too sure he can think.

There are screams—shinobi are probably coming to investigate the fire. The enemies are gone and out of sight and all Sasuke can do is lay there, bleeding himself dry and cradling the side of Sakura's too pale face. He does not realize the tears slowly streaming down his cheeks and he isn't awake to see Naruto and the rest of the rookies arrive.


	5. v

Hey, AMarionetteWithSilverStrings , I kept it as a tanto just for you, bb. (:  
Last chapter, and thanks for the support, pretties!

**iv: the tallest tower  
**

_"I'm sorry, Sasuke."_

He stares at the white walls, jaw tense, body still aching under his civilian clothes and under all the gauze. He entertains the thought of white walls in hospitals; is their purpose to drive the patients and the visitors inside mad? Is it supposed to be calming, he wonders, because all he feels is unease and paranoia that red will stain them at any given second.

And how wickedly beautiful would thick, red blood look against these unblemished white walls?

_"Very reliable sources have reported back. Remnants of ROOT were acting on desperation and attempting to fulfill Danzou's last and only wishes. They were after you, Sasuke."_

His head pulses and his eyes blur. Everything hurts, like nails running down the chalkboard, like screeching in his ears. He's sweating a fever and his vision clouds more than once and he swears he can feel the bile rising up his throat. He runs a shaky hand through his hair, holding it against his clammy forehead, and gasps for air.

Sasuke slowly looks up and everything is back into focus.

He can hear the steady beep of the heart monitor.

She's lying on a hospital bed, unmoving. She's still so very pale, lips as pink as her hair. She's wrapped in gauze and his eyes glue to her chest and almost shakes out of his skin, watching it rise and fall, slowly and steadily. His eyes cloud as he thinks back at seeing her with a tantō impaled into her chest, blood coating her like second skin and looking like she was greeting death at the other side.

But she is alive.

She is alive.

Comatose, but alive.

And this is enough, he tries to say over the demons whispering in his ear. She is alive and it is enough; she is okay, and that is enough. Sakura is alive and okay, and it _is enough_.

He closes his eyes and leans back in his seat, lips pressed together tightly as he struggles to convince himself that this isn't his fault; but it is, isn't it? He endangered her, she almost died and it is his fault. Sasuke wonders why it's so hard to be at peace; why is it that when he thinks he is finally okay with where he is at, with who he is with, with who he _is_… Why is it that something ruins it?

Sasuke catches two of Sakura's fingers twitch for the first time since the attack, two and a half weeks ago, and he realizes that Sakura has not given up.

So he takes her to fingers around his own and sits there. And he waits.

_fin_

* * *

I have a serious question... Would you guys like me to repost Ayurnamat Theorem up here, again?


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